Wonder Woman and Lois Lane: Interchangeable?

Hmm...this pose seems familiar.....

I know some, even one of my fellow GeekMoms, are in favor of exploring this pairing of Wonder Woman and Superman that’s hitting the national news. But after reading the much-debated Justice League #12, I have one big question:

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If this is such a new, awesome pairing then why did DC re-use the iconic Lois Lane and Superman imagery and conversations for Superman and Wonder Woman?

And this is why….Lee’s image of Superman and Lois from Superman: For Tomorrow.

Let’s put aside the fact that DC says it wants “iconic” versions of its heroes and there’s no more iconic couple out there than Lois and Clark. And by iconic, I mean ask 10 random strangers “Who are Lois and Clark?” and they’ll know the answer.

Let’s put aside the fact I think the pairing of Superman and Wonder Woman is dead boring because it’s gods looking down on mortals.

Let’s put aside the fact that DC says it wants to make Superman more relatable and grounded and yet break up his marriage with a mortal woman to have him cavort with an immortal demi-goddess.

Let’s put aside the fact that just this month in Action Comics, Superman is so in love with Lois that he teaches himself how to be a surgeon at super-speed to save her life.

What I do remember is that the Superman and Lois relationship has been a partnership in the comics since 1991. Lois has known Superman’s identity since 1991 and they were officially married in 1996. That’s well over two decades of them as solid partners in both Superman’s civilian and super identities.

However, this is the way DC has chosen to go. Potentially, there might be a good story in it. Their eventual romance in Kingdom Come worked to a certain extent as they were recovering from losses and they were basically the only two people left who understood each other. So it could happen. Writers can make many pairings work, at least for a time.

However, not if they simply swap out Lois for Wonder Woman.

So why are the romances being written in an identical way?

In my fiction life, I’m a published romance writer. One thing I have learned is that one half of the romance is not interchangeable.

But that’s exactly how this romance is being written, by re-using the iconic images, words of love, and reasons for being together directly from the Superman and Lois pairing.

First, there’s Jim Lee re-using his own art of Superman and Lois embracing from For Tomorrow to put Superman and Wonder Woman in the exact same pose. Then there’s this released image of the Superman-Wonder Woman kiss in front of the moon.

The moon is so romantic, it’s one of Superman’s signature moves, apparently…

Putting aside the various jokes about hair gel, this image has a twin too, in this one with Lois and Clark.

Even the words Superman says to Wonder Woman are close to what he’s said to Lois previously. The words that lead to this kiss are “Do you ever feel alone?” “Of course I … do.”

Lois Lane and Wonder Woman are not the same person. I don’t think that needs to be said out loud but, apparently, given how one is being slotted into exactly the same images and exactly the same kind of romantic connection, the powers that be at DC seem to think they are.

Superman’s reaction to them is exactly the same.

The message I’m getting from this new pairing is “you know women, they’re interchangeable.” Or maybe Superman has just so many moves or lines in him as a player.

I don’t see how the connection between Superman and Lois Lane should be the same as between Superman and Wonder Woman. These two heroes should be an epic pairing. Superman could do so many things in Justice League #12 to make his friend Diana feel better. He could show her the wonders of being inside a volcano. He could show her how to make diamonds. He could use his X-ray vision to show her where the remains of vanished civilizations are buried. He could show her a number of wonders all over the world that are still new to Diana, who spent most of her life on Paradise Island.

But, no, they sit on a rooftop and talk about how sad it is to be gorgeous, super-intelligent and gifted with the powers of gods. They bond over how terrible it is to be them. *We won’t even discuss yet how the JL #12 seems to confirm the new view of Amazons as man-haters and murderers from which Diana had to escape. Because that’s an entire other post.

If a want a mopey hero who’s not sure what to do with his powers, I’ll read Spider-Man comics. At least he cracks jokes.

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